KR101539125B1 - Wireless devices including printed integrated circuitry and methods for manufacturing and using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A printed integrated circuit device and an attached antenna and / or inductor for sensors, electronic article surveillance (EAS), RF and / or RFID tags and devices, and a method of manufacturing the same. The tag typically includes a printed integrated circuit element on one carrier and an antenna and / or an inductor on another carrier, and the integrated circuit element is electrically coupled to the antenna and / or the inductor. The manufacturing method generally includes printing an integrated circuit having a plurality of first pads on one carrier, forming an antenna and / or an inductor having a plurality of second pads on the substrate, And attaching at least two of the pads to a corresponding second pad of the antenna and / or the inductor. The present invention advantageously provides a low cost RFID tag that can operate at a MHz frequency that can be fabricated in a shorter time than a typical RFID tag that manufactures all active electrical devices on a typical wafer.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a wireless device including a printed circuit element and a method of manufacturing and using the same.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 979,057 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 979,057, filed October 10, 2008, U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 249,707, filed October 10, 2007, 980,581.

The present invention relates generally to the field of sensors and electronic article surveillance (EAS), radio frequency (RF) and / or RFID (RF identification) tags and devices. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a tag / device, typically an EAS, RF and / or RFID tag and device, and a method of manufacturing and / or manufacturing thereof, using a printed integrated circuit with an attachable antenna . As a result, the present invention can provide a low-cost process for producing RFID (or EAS) tags, including printed integrated circuits and antennas.

Remote power supply electronics and related systems are known. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,099,227, entitled " Proximity Detecting Apparatus " by Geiszler et al., Uses electromagnetic coupling to derive power from a remote source, and often uses data stored in the receiver ≪ / RTI > discloses a remote power supply using electromagnetic and electrostatic coupling for transmission. Such remote power supply communication devices are commonly known as RFID tags.

RFID tags and related systems are used in a variety of ways. For example, RFID tags primarily protect security buildings or areas and are used primarily for individual identification in automated door surveillance applications. These tags are often in the form of access control cards. The information stored in the RFID tag identifies a tag holder that requires access to a security building or area. Older automated gate surveillance applications typically require a person approaching the building to insert or insert their identification card or tag into or through the reader for the system to read information from the card or tag. State of the art RFID tag systems allow tags to be read in close proximity using RF data transmission techniques, thereby eliminating the operation of inserting or inserting an identification card or tag into or through the reader. Most typically, the user simply holds or positions the tag near the base station, which is coupled to a security system that secures the building or area. The base station activates the circuit elements included in the tag to transmit an excitation signal to the tag. In response to the excitation signal, the circuit element transmits the stored information from the tag to the base station, which receives and decodes the information. Information is handled by the security system to determine that access is appropriate. In addition, the RFID tag can be remotely recorded (e. G., Programmed and / or deactivated) by an excitation signal, suitably modulated in a predetermined manner.

Some conventional RFID tags and systems use electromagnetic coupling primarily to remotely power a remote device and couple the remote device to an exciter system and a receiver system. The exciter system generates an electromagnetic excitation signal that powers the device and allows the device to transmit a signal that may contain stored information. The receiver receives the signal generated by the remote device.

These conventional RFID tags are made such that the integrated circuit elements are fabricated separately from the antenna and / or the inductor, so that the two elements are physically and electrically connected. These devices are manufactured individually, partly because of the cost of silicon wafer fabrication. It is costly to manufacture two devices on a silicon wafer. The antenna and / or inductor may be fabricated on a less expensive substrate using a simple structure and less expensive processing method, and then incorporated into the integrated circuit device in the fabrication step.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a typical RFID tag is formed by a process that includes dicing a wafer fabricated by a conventional wafer-based process into a plurality of die. A die is a chip-to-antenna attachment process and is positioned on an antenna or inductor carrier (which may include an antenna, an inductor coil, or other conductive features). Alternatively, the die may be attached to an intermediate carrier (or interposer) in a two-step, chip-to-strap / strap-to- have.

In a two step process, the die 12 is attached to the interposer (or carrier) 140. Electrical paths 130 and 132 to relatively larger and / or more widely distributed regions (e.g., 134 and 136) for attaching the ends of the antenna from the die 120 are formed on the interposer 140 And is present at a predetermined position. This assembly may be attached to a support film 150 that includes an inductor / antenna 152, as shown in FIG. The assemblies on the interposer 140 are sometimes known as "straps " because the pads 134,136 connect the ends of the antenna 152 (along with path 130 132 and die 120). This attachment process may be accomplished not only by establishing the electrical interconnect (s) through wire bonding, anisotropic conductive epoxy bonding, ultrasonic, bump-bonding, or flip-chip approach, ). &Lt; / RTI &gt; Also, the attachment process often involves the use of heating, time, and / or UV exposure. Smaller, if the die 120 is usually possible to reduce the cost per die (<1 mm ² ), The pad element for external electrical connection to the die 120 may be relatively small. This means that the positioning operation must have a relatively high accuracy for high speed mechanical operation (e.g., often requiring placement within 50 microns of the predetermined position).

As a whole, processes for picking up a separate (cut) die and moving the die to the correct position on the antenna, inductor, carrier or interposer to be bonded, placing the die in the proper position, and forming the physical electrical interconnections are relatively It can be a slow and costly process. In the case of a process using intermediate interposers, the cost and throughput advantages are achieved by attaching the die to one roll of the interposer carrier, and they are generally spaced apart and can be replaced with other new &lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; If batch operation can be done more easily, this can be done quickly and at the same time from time to time. The carrier is typically crimped (which is somewhat functionally similar to a conventional strap as compared to a pick-and-place and / or wire bonding base for direct integration of the chip die into the inductor substrate) ) Or electrical paths from the die to regions that are relatively larger and / or more widely distributed at different locations on the carrier to allow for a high resolution, low resolution attachment operation, such as a conductive adhesive attachment do. In some cases, a low marine adhering process suitable for straps can be performed at a cost approaching $ 0.003 or less, based on commercially available equipment and materials (e.g., Muhlbauer TMA 6000 or similar devices).

 The carrier is attached to the inductor / antenna 152 such that an electrical connection is formed at this other location. This carrier-based process may also have the benefit of a flip-chip or bump bonding approach and may be applied to the larger inductor / carrier substrate 150 by conventional means (e.g., wire bonding) It may be more expensive or disadvantageous to implement other interconnecting elements.

As discussed above, conventional RFID manufacturing processes require the use of either a very complex chip-to-antenna attachment process or a two-step chip-to-strap / strap-to-antenna attachment process. The process requires high-accuracy pick-and-place equipment for chip attachment. High-accuracy pick-and-place equipment has a relatively high capital cost and is generally slower than low accuracy equipment. As a result, conventional attachment processes are costly in proportion to the total manufacturing cost.

The price of a tag is an important issue in the RFID industry. High RFID tag prices have been an obstacle to the widespread adoption of RFID technology, particularly in item level retail applications and other low-cost, high-volume applications. One way to reduce tag cost is to develop a tag structure and process that includes (preferably integrates) a less expensive substrate, a stable and efficient antenna, an RF shear device, and a high-watt patterning logic circuit element.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to sensors, EAS, RF and RFID tags and devices having attached antennas and / or inductors and printed integrated circuit devices, and methods of making and using the same. The apparatus generally comprises: (a) a printed integrated circuit device on a first substrate; (b) first and second pads electrically coupled to the printed integrated circuit element on the first substrate and / or the printed integrated circuit element; And (c) an antenna and / or an inductor on a second substrate comprising a conductive line having first and second ends thereon in electrical communication with the first and second pads, respectively. A method of manufacturing an apparatus generally includes the steps of: (1) forming a printed circuit element on a first substrate; (2) forming first and second pads electrically coupled to the printed circuit element; (3) forming an antenna and / or an inductor having first and second ends on a second substrate; And (4) attaching the first and second pads to the first and second ends of the antenna and / or the inductor. A method of manufacturing a plurality of devices generally comprises the steps of: (i) forming a plurality of printed integrated circuits on a first substrate stock to form a PIC stock; (Ii) forming a plurality of antennas and / or inductors on a second substrate to form an antenna stock; And (iii) attaching the PIC stock to the antenna stock. Methods of use generally include: (i) causing or inducing an electric current in the apparatus sufficient for the apparatus of the present invention to cause the electromagnetic signals to be copied, reflected or modulated; (Ii) detecting the detectable electromagnetic radiation; And optionally (iii) processing the information conveyed by the detectable electromagnetic radiation. Optionally, the method of use may further comprise (iv) transferring information back from the device (or sensor) of the present invention to the reading device.

One potential approach to producing very low cost RFID tags is to use printing technology in a roll-or sheet-fed process. Because it can increase material utilization (for example, additive or semi-additive processing), combine deposition and patterning steps, and maintain low capital expenditure and operating costs for equipment , Printing has potential cost advantages. In addition, high efficiency conventional printing processes can be applied to flexible substrates (e.g., plastic sheets, or metal foils) that improve and / or extend the use of tags in many applications. Material efficiency and additive processes enable low cost per unit area of the treated carrier (or die, if used) and enable the integration of passive devices with active circuitry and / or low cost adherend processing. In addition, mask-less processes, such as printing, enable easy customization of RF devices, e.g., each individual RF device has unique response time delays and / or unique identification codes Respectively. Further, if the circuit element can be printed to facilitate the attachment of the printed integrated circuit elements to the antenna and / or the inductor, the cost of the attachment step can be significantly reduced.

The use of a printing process to form integrated circuit elements on a carrier enables the fabrication of larger integrated circuit devices while reducing the cost of conventional manufacturing processes. The incentive for manufacturing smaller integrated circuits is weakened and the cost limit associated with the attachment cost is generalized. This approach is advantageous over conventional semiconductor wafers (as the cost of attaching to smaller dies increases, even though this approach can be self-regulating for direct-attached silicon RFID tags) It is free from the cost reduction approach.

By using a carrier-based process, several or all conventional thin film displays and photovoltaic material processing is possible. Photovoltaic material processing includes a fully developed roll-to-roll production type for foil, sheet and / or other films on dielectric substrates, dielectrics or inorganic semiconductors. Such a process may be used to process the display and the photovoltaic device (either by itself or, alternatively, with a printing process that may enable a complete manufacturing process without necessarily having the complete set of tools and materials developed for the printed RFID tag) To provide an efficient way to fabricate RFID tags. Ultimately, however, such a treatment would preferably include a spool-based and / or roll-to-roll printing process and would require low capital equipment cost, high efficiency (hundreds of m ² / hr) Due to increased efficiency in the use of materials and / or a reduced number of processing steps, the manufacturing cost is lowered.

The present invention advantageously provides low cost sensors, electronic article surveillance (EAS), RF and / or RFID tags and devices that utilize printed integrated circuit devices with attached antennas. By reducing the cost of fabricating active electronics as well as reducing the number of expensive and / or low-efficiency attachment processes, low cost tags can be used for antennas and / or inductors formed on discrete and potentially less expensive substrates Or by integrating or printing circuit elements in a different manner on relatively inexpensive substrates attached with relatively low accuracy.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

Are included in the content of the present invention.

1A-1B illustrate steps in a conventional process for fabricating an RFID tag including the attachment of a conventional semiconductor die to an antenna using an interposer.
2A-2B illustrate important steps in an exemplary process for fabricating an RFID tag / device including attaching a first carrier or a substrate having a printed integrated circuit device thereon to a substrate comprising an antenna or a second carrier .
Figures 3a-3b are cross-sectional views of a carrier having printed integrated circuit devices, each having printed integrated circuit elements in a face-down and face-up direction, attached to an antenna and / or an inductor, Fig.
Figures 4A-4B illustrate front and back views of an exemplary printed integrated circuit sheet stock, or PIC sheet stock, respectively.
4C shows an exemplary alternative embodiment of a PIC sheet stock.
Figures 4d-4e show front and back views of an exemplary PIC roll stock.
Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary manufacturing process using a roll-to-roll process.
Figure 6 shows an exemplary process using a pick-and-place process.

Reference will now be made in detail to preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are not intended to limit the invention. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. In the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.

For convenience and brevity, the terms "coupled to ", " connected to ", and" in communication with ", unless the context expressly indicates otherwise, Or communication. These terms are generally used interchangeably in the present invention, but generally the meanings recognized in the art are provided. Also, for convenience and brevity, "RF "," RFID ", and "identification" may be used interchangeably with respect to the intended use and / Quot; may be used herein to refer to any RF and / or RFID sensor, tag, and / or device. &Quot; Integrated circuit elements "and" printed integrated circuit elements "refer to a single structure that includes a plurality of electrically active devices formed from a plurality of conductors, semiconductors, and insulator films, (such as wire bonds and leads, carriers, or antenna and / or inductor elements), or materials having primarily adhesive functions. The term "antenna" can be used in the general context of referring to an antenna, an inductor or an antenna and an inductor. The term "interposer "," carrier ", and / or "substrate" refers to a structure that can be used as a support for additional structures including printed integrated circuit elements and / or antennas and / or inductors. Also, the terms "item," " object, "and" article "are used interchangeably with each other and each time one such term is used, it also includes other terms. In the present context, the "major surface" of a feature or structure is a surface that is at least partially defined by the longest axis of the feature or feature (e.g., if the structure is circular and has a radius greater than the thickness, The radial surface (s) is the major surface of the structure.

The present invention relates generally to a device having printed integrated circuit elements and an attachable antenna and / or an inductor, including sensors, EAS, RF and / or RFID tags and devices, comprising: (a) a printed integrated circuit device; (b) first and second pads electrically coupled to the printed circuit board substrate on the first substrate and / or the printed integrated circuit element; And (c) an antenna and / or an inductor on a second substrate comprising a conductive line having first and second ends thereon, the first and second ends each in electrical communication with the first and second pads . In various embodiments, the substrate and / or the antenna and / or the inductor for the printed circuit may include glass, polyimide, glass / polymer laminate, high temperature polymer or metal foil.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: (1) forming a printed integrated circuit on a first substrate; (2) forming first and second pads electrically coupled to the printed circuit element; (3) forming an antenna and / or an inductor having first and second ends on a second substrate; And (4) attaching first and second pads to the first and second ends of the antenna and / or the inductor. In various embodiments, the process used to attach the pads of the integrated circuit to corresponding pads on the antenna may be gluing, bump bonding, ultrasonic bonding, welding, soldering, ) And / or crimping.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a PIC stock comprising: (A) forming a plurality of printed integrated circuits on a first substrate stock to form a PIC stock; (B) forming a plurality of antennas and / or inductors on a second substrate stock to form an antenna stock; (C) attaching the PIC stock to the antenna stock. In various embodiments, the process used to attach the PIC stock to the antenna stock may be a sheet-to-sheet process, a roll-to-roll process, a pick-and-place process, and / And a tape-and-reel process.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of using an RFID device, the method comprising: (i) causing or inducing the device to radiate, reflect, or modulate an electromagnetic signal capable of detecting a sufficient current; (Ii) detecting a detectable electromagnetic radiation; And, optionally, (iii) processing information conveyed by the detectable electromagnetic radiation. Optionally, the method of use may further comprise (iv) transmitting or transmitting information back from the device (or sensor) to the reading device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in more detail below in connection with exemplary embodiments in various aspects.

Exemplary tags and / or devices

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: (a) printing integrated circuit elements on a first substrate; (b) first and second pads on the first substrate and / or the printed integrated circuit element, electrically coupled to the printed integrated circuit; And (c) an antenna and / or an inductor on a second substrate having first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends are respectively connected to the first and second pads and to the electrical Communication. As a result, the present invention includes a substrate (e.g., carrier), an inductor / antenna, and an RF front end (or a subset of logic circuits and RF front ends) that are fully operational in accordance with the latest wireless or RFID standards (Also a sensor, a signal modulation activity that generally varies according to the result of a given external environment change (e.g., the conductivity, temperature of the surface or structure to which the sensor is attached), and active RF or wireless circuitry and / or device; (Or EAS) tag (which may include, for example, a tag having a battery on a board).

An apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. Apparatus 300 includes a printed integrated circuit carrier (or PIC carrier) and antenna and / or inductor carrier (or antenna carrier) attached together. The PIC carrier includes a printed integrated circuit (302) formed on a first substrate (304). The substrate has an electrical path / pad (306, 307) in electrical communication with the printed integrated circuit (302). In this embodiment, the electrical path 306/307 is at least partially formed on the substrate 304 and lies on the printed integrated circuit 302. Alternatively, the electrical path / pads 306/307 may be formed on the print integrated circuit 302 alone, or on the printed integrated circuit 302 and the substrate 304. The antenna carrier includes a substrate 310 and an inductor 320. In this embodiment, a bulk conductive layer 318 is included on the antenna and / or antenna and / or seed layer 312. Alternatively and preferably, the antenna and / or inductor 320 may be printed on the substrate 310. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, the top (PIC side) of the PIC carrier is in contact with the top (antenna side) of the antenna carrier and the first and second electrical paths / Antenna and / or inductor ends 314/316, respectively. An adhesive 308 is used to attach the electrical path / pad 306/307 to the first and second antenna and / or inductor ends 314/316.

As shown in FIG. 3B, in another embodiment of the present invention, the bottom (substrate surface) of the PIC carrier is in contact with the top of the antenna carrier. In this embodiment, electrical pathways / pads 326/327 are in contact with antenna and / or inductor 340 through holes in substrate 324.

Several other embodiments having this orientation include embodiments in which the bottom of the PIC carrier is used in place of the corresponding holes in the electrical paths 326, 327 and the substrate 324. In these other embodiments, the substrate 324 includes a conductive structure that is insulated from each other or a metal that is selectively removed to form a pad. These other embodiments typically have a passivation layer or top cap on top of the PIC carrier. The pad may be formed from the substrate 324 using a process similar to that used to form the antenna and / or the inductor from the metal substrate (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application 11 / 452,108).

The substrate 304 for the printed integrated circuit 302 may be configured to (i) provide physical support for the integrated circuit elements formed on the substrate during formation and physical support for the attached antenna and / or inductor elements during attachment, (ii) (Iii) an electrical connection is formed (i. E., A signal is formed on a substrate other than a built-in circuit element formed on one substrate), and Or may be transmitted between the formed antenna and / or the inductor). The substrate may be flexible, inflexible or rigid. The substrate may be electrically conductive (electrically active) or non-conductive (electrically inert), the electrical activity is related to the characteristics of the substrate and is not necessarily the interaction between the substrate and the printed integrated circuit.

Substrates typically have a size that can be processed cost-effectively using conventional thin-film processes and / or state-of-the-art or state-of-the-art printing processes to produce low-cost RF circuits. The integrated circuit device may be formed on a flexible substrate such as a polyimide, a glass / polymer laminate, a high temperature polymer, or a metal foil, all of which may further include one or more barrier coats. Carriers made from such substrates are generally less expensive than conventional silicon dies of similar size. (However, typical RFID interposers have an area of approximately 0.01 cm ² , Which is about 1 cm ² in area, as compared to a conventional silicon RFID die.

It may be advantageous to use anodized-Al, Al / Cu, Cu, stainless steel or similar metal foil as the substrate. Such materials may be used as bulk storage or IC resonant capacitors, as dielectrics, interconnects and / or electrodes for inductors, and / or as electrodes for diodes, MOS-devices or FETs, or as write once read many (WORM) one-time programmable, inactive, or other memory storage element. Examples of such substrates are found in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,152,804 and 7,286,053.

350 deg. C, 400 deg. C, 450 deg. C or more, 500 deg. C, 600 deg. C, or 1000 deg. C or less, without significant degradation or reduction in the mechanical and / Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; C) &lt; / RTI &gt; as a substrate for a printed integrated circuit device. For example, the substrate may be a thin (50-200 micron) glass sheet or "slip" glass / polymer laminate, a high temperature polymer (eg, polyimide, polyether sulfone, polyethylene naphthalene [PEN] Ether ether ketone [PEEK], etc.), or metal foils such as aluminum, stainless steel or copper. Exemplary thicknesses depend on the metal used, but are generally in the range of about 25 microns to about 200 microns (e.g., in the range of about 50 microns to about 100 microns).

Preferably, the substrate is generally cleaned before further processing and coated with a barrier material (such as silicon dioxide or aluminum oxide). The coating step may include oxidation and / or anodic oxidation of the surface material (e.g., metal foil) of the substrate; Deposition of a spin-on or fluid-coated barrier film; Sputtering, CVD, or spray coating of the blocking material onto the substrate, or any combination of these processes (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application No. 11 / 243,460, filed October 3, 2005, Reference). In the sense that the interposer comprises a metal sheet or foil, the metal foil may be etched as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 11 / 452,108, filed June 12, 2006, and U.S. Patent Nos. 7,286,053 and 7,152,804, And / or can be cut.

The printed integrated circuit 302 may be implemented by devices and / or integrated circuit devices (e.g., complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices) fabricated by printing one or more (preferably a plurality of) ). Other layers may be printed or formed using other, more general techniques. Typically, the integrated circuit device comprises a gate metal layer; One or more semiconductor layers (e.g., a transistor channel layer, a source train terminal layer, and / or one or more lightly doped or heavily doped diode layers); A gate insulating layer between at least one of the gate metal layer and the semiconductor layers; One or more capacitor electrodes (each generally capacitively coupled to another capacitor electrode, which may also be part of an integrated circuit device or integrated with a carrier or an antenna / inductor layer, or may be part thereof); A plurality of metal conductors in electrical communication with the gate metal layer, source and drain terminals, top and / or bottom diode layers, and / or top and / or bottom capacitor electrodes; And / or a dielectric layer between the various metal conductors and / or the semiconductor layer (s). The integrated circuit device may further include one or more resistors, which may comprise metal and / or polysilicon doped to a low or high concentration. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit device includes a gate metal layer, a semiconductor layer (e.g., a layer underneath in contact with a channel layer or a layer above or in the same layer, a transistor channel layer in contact with a source / drain terminal) A gate insulator layer between the transistor channel layers, and a plurality of metal conductors in electrical communication with the gate metal layer and the source and drain terminals.

The substrate 310 for the antenna and / or inductor 320 may be configured to: (i) provide physical support for the attached PIC carrier element during physical attachment of the antenna and / or inductor formed on the substrate during formation and attachment thereof during formation; (Iii) (signals are transmitted between an integrated circuit element formed on one substrate and an antenna and / or an inductor formed on another substrate) To provide electrical connection therebetween). The substrate may be ductile, rigid or rigid. The substrate may be conductive (electrically active) or non-conductive (electrically inert), and the electrical activity is related to the characteristics of the substrate and is not the interaction between the substrate and the antenna and / or the inductor. In general, the antenna and / or the inductor may be formed on the same material as a printed integrated circuit device comprising polyimide, a glass / polymer laminate, a high temperature polymer or a metal foil, all of which may further comprise one or more barrier coats .

The antenna and / or the inductor may further include an antenna, an inductor, or both, and a capacitor electrode coupled to or integrated with the antenna (see, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 7,152,804 and 7,286,053) . The antenna and / or the inductor may comprise one or more layers and / or coils. In addition, the antenna and / or the inductor may be formed on one or both sides of the substrate (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application No. 11 / 749,114, filed May 15, 2007).

Typically, the antenna and / or the inductor comprises a metal. In one embodiment, the metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silver, gold, copper, palladium, titanium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt, nickel, platinum, zinc, iron or the like or metal alloys thereof, preferably silver or gold, Or alloy thereof. Alternatively, the metal may comprise a foil of the aforementioned metal. In such a case (and on the other hand, the antenna and / or inductor element made of metal foil and, on the other hand, the integrated circuit element are on opposite sides of the interposer), the RFID and / or EAS device (See, for example, the following section) is not an electrically active integrated circuit device (e.g., a transistor and a diode, but is not necessarily a capacitor electrode or plate that includes a portion of a metal foil as an electrode or plate) And removing at least one portion of the metal located in the metal foil from the metal foil.

In an embodiment that includes both an antenna and an inductor, the inductor may function as a tuning inductor (see, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,286,053). As a result, the metal forming the antenna and the inductor may not be continuous (i. E. May include electrical discontinuity) and the monitoring and / or identification device according to the present invention may include a first (Outer) inductor, a second (inner) inductor, and a dielectric film on the first and second capacitor plates, as well as a second (inner) inductor coupled to the second capacitor plate, And the first dielectric layer has openings therein exposing the respective ends of the first and second (e.g., external and internal) inductors. In alternative embodiments, the capacitor plates may be linear or non-linear, and / or the apparatus further comprises first and second non-linear capacitor plates on the dielectric layer, each coupled to the first and second linear capacitor platters .

The apparatus may further comprise a support and / or a backing layer (not shown) on the surface of the first and / or second carrier 310. The backing and / or backing layer may be conventional and is known in the EAS and RFID technology (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0163434 and U.S. Patent Nos. 5,841,350, 5,608,379 and 4,063,229 Reference). In general, such a supporting and / or backing layer may comprise (1) an adhesive surface for subsequent attachment or placement of the tag / device onto the tracked or monitored article, and / or (2) Lt; / RTI &gt; For example, to form a label or tag suitable for use in a conventional RFID system, the device may be fixed to the back of the identification label or price tag, and the adhesive may be applied to the label, may be coated or disposed on the surface of the device against an identification label or pricing tag (optionally covered by a release sheet).

Exemplary wireless and / or RFID  Tag / device manufacturing method (s)

In one aspect, the present invention provides a method comprising: (1) forming a printed integrated circuit element on a first substrate; (2) forming first and second pads electrically coupled to the printed circuit element; (3) forming an antenna and / or an inductor having first and second ends on a second substrate; And (4) attaching the first and second pads to the first and second ends of the antenna and / or the inductor. Thus, the method provides a cost effective method of manufacturing an RFID device.

Conventional thin film processes as well as conventional and / or state-of-the-art printing processes are used to produce printed integrated circuit devices (e. G. 210 in FIG. 2B). These processes include but are not limited to sputtering, evaporation, LPCVD, PECVD, bath etching, dry etching, direct laser printing of device elements, inkjet printing of any device or layer, spray coating, blade coating, extrusion coating ), Photolithography, any layer of print etching mask lithography, offset printing, gravure printing, embossing, contact printing, screen printing, combinations thereof and / or other techniques (such as laser or inkjet) . Any layer of material in the integrated circuit device of the present invention can be fabricated essentially by any of these techniques.

The ink used to produce the printed circuit elements may include a metal formulation for forming the thin film. Such formulations enable the printing of pure metal films using reducing agents and metal precursors that generally do not leave a substantial reverse level of impurities and / or residues of the pure metal film. These ink formulations generally contain one or more of the following: printing of one or more 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 metal salt (s) and / or metal complex (s) At least one additive that forms a gas or volatile byproducts as a result of the reduction of at least one of the solution and / or the metal salt or metal complex to the alloy of the elemental metal or alloy thereof, and / .

A first exemplary method of manufacturing the present RFID device is described below with reference to Figures 2A-2B. 2A shows a tag precursor (or printed integrated circuit) 200 that includes a substrate 232 and an integrated circuit element 210. As shown in FIG. In general, the integrated circuit device 210 is formed on the first major surface of the carrier 232.

The pads 234 and 236 are formed on the same surface of the substrate 232 as the integrated circuit elements 210 similar to the process of forming the pads 134 and 136 in Fig. However, in the exemplary process of FIG. 2A, there is typically a hole or via in the top dielectric layer of the integrated circuit device 210 (sometimes known as a passivation layer) to enable electrical communication with circuit components. Pads 234 and 236 essentially provide the same function as pads 134 and 136 of FIG. 1A.

2B illustrates an antenna and / or inductor carrier 240 that includes a carrier 250 and an antenna and / or inductor 252. In general, an antenna and / or an inductor 252 is formed on the first major surface of the carrier 250. The antenna and / or inductor 252 may be implemented as a nicking structure on a dielectric substrate, plate structure, or printing structure.

Next, holes or vias may be formed on the major surface of the substrate 232 opposite where the pads 234 and 236 and the integrated circuit elements 210 are formed. 2A, there is a hole or via through the substrate 232 exposing the surface of the pads 234, 236 that allows electrical connection to the corresponding terminal of the antenna / inductor 252. In general, a single hole / via is provided for each pad and each hole / via is in place (see FIG. 1B; a pick-and-place operation for integration of the die 120 in the inductor substrate 140) Inductor 252 may be dimensioned to allow for easy contact between the corresponding terminal of the antenna / inductor 252 and the corresponding pad using a relatively high-throughput, low-resolution attachment operation I have. 2B, the inductor and / or antenna 252 (which may be attached or positioned on the carrier 250) may be electrically connected to the antenna / inductor 250 at a location corresponding to a hole or via in the substrate 232, Is formed between the terminals of the substrate 252 and the pads 234 and 236.

In a second exemplary method, pads 234 and 236 are formed on the same surface of substrate 232 as integrated circuit elements 210, as described above. The substrate 232 and the carrier 250 may be formed on the upper surface of the substrate 250 (the surface with the integrated circuit element 210), on the upper surface of the carrier 250 (the surface with the inductor and / ). In general, and referring to FIG. 2B, the surfaces of the pads 234 and 236 are aligned with corresponding terminals of the antenna / inductor 252 to enable electrical connection. In general, the pads 234 and 236 have dimensions that allow for easy contact between one terminal of the antenna / inductor 252 and the corresponding pad using a relatively high efficiency low resolution bonding operation. 2B, the inductor and / or antenna 252 (which may be placed on or attached to the carrier 250) may be electrically connected to the antenna / inductor (not shown) at a location corresponding to the relative location on the substrate 232 252 and the pads 234, 236, respectively.

The printing integrated circuit 200 and the carrier 250 may be attached or mounted in various configurations as described above. In order to isolate the printed integrated circuit element from the antenna and / or the inductor, a dielectric layer is formed on the printed integrated circuit element and / or the antenna and / or the inductor. The dielectric layer may cover most or all of the surface of the carrier or substrate, and in this case an opening for the contact between the pad and the ends of the antenna and / or inductor may be provided to facilitate electrical contact. Alternatively, the dielectric layer may be formed on the printed integrated circuit device 210 leaving a portion of the carrier or substrate that includes the pad not covered by the dielectric layer. Likewise, the dielectric layer may be formed on a portion of the antenna and / or inductor 252 that may contact the printed integrated circuit element 200 leaving the end of the exposed antenna and / or inductor 252 to facilitate electrical contact .

In yet another embodiment, the attaching step may be accomplished by attaching (attaching (attaching) the substrate 232 to the carrier 250 using an adhesive so that the pads 234 and 236 have an electrical connection to a corresponding terminal of the antenna / inductor 252 Or an antenna 252, which may be printed, printed, or otherwise disposed. Various adhesives can be used, including anisotropic conductive paste (ACP), non-conductive paste (NCP), isotropic conductive paste (ICP), or glue with metal particles therein. In the case of NCP, the adhesive does not apply to the location of the contact between the end of the antenna and the pads 232/234. To facilitate easy electrical connection, the end or pad of the antenna may have a conductive / metal bump thereon.

Thus, in yet another embodiment, the attaching step may be performed using an inductor and / or an inductor (which may be attached or positioned on the carrier 250) to the substrate 232 using a process such as bump-bonding, wire-bonding or ultrasonic bonding. Or attaching an antenna 252 to the antenna. Alternatively, the attachment step may be accomplished by attaching an inductor and / or antenna 252 (which may be attached or positioned on the carrier 250) to the substrate 232 using a process such as welding, soldering or crimping Step &lt; / RTI &gt; In some embodiments, the short annealing step (which may further include applying a pressure to the opposite major surface of the substrate 232 and the carrier 250) may be performed relatively reliably on the substrate 232 by inductors and / 252 can be fixed.

Illustrative RFID  Method of manufacturing a device

(A) forming a plurality of printed integrated circuits on a first substrate stock to form a PIC stock; (B) forming a plurality of antennas and / or inductors on a second substrate stock to form an antenna stock; And (C) attaching the PIC stock to the antenna stock. The novel components of the present invention can include direct printing onto the substrate, which is fast and inexpensive and adheres to antennas and / or inductors formed on or from inexpensive substrate materials such as metal foil.

The manufacturing steps used in the approach of this invention are compatible with web, continuous, roll-to-roll and / or sheet processing and with conventional soft, thin RF labels and provide increased throughput in the tag manufacturing process. The fabrication of circuit components directly on the carrier enables low resolution pick-and-place processing (or other similar processing) to attach the printed integrated circuit (and carrier) to the antenna carrier. The approach of the present invention also allows efficient / low cost use of substrate material for antennas that are thermally and chemically compatible and / or provide adequate shielding properties with RFID and / or EAS tag fabrication, Lt; / RTI &gt; may be too expensive. However, the present approach can lead to a high efficiency and low cost process of RFID device / tag manufacture.

A method of manufacturing an exemplary first RFID device is described below with reference to Figures 4A-4E. Figure 4a shows a sheet of PIC stock, indicated at 400. The PIC stock is produced by forming a plurality of printed integrated circuits 404 on a first substrate stock 402, which is shown as a sheet in this example. The printing integrated circuit may include integrated circuit elements (e.g., CMOS circuit elements) fabricated on a substrate using printing and ink techniques as described above.

The printed integrated circuit may be formed of a first substrate stock in an arbitrary direction. The dotted line in FIG. 4A points to a cross-sheet partition 406 or a down-sheet partition 408. If the sheet is formed on a roll, the terms "cross-roll division" and "down-roll division" may still be used. The cross-sheet (or cross-roll) segmentation 406 and the down-sheet (or down-roll) segmentation 408 represent another segmentation of the substrate, whether during processing or in the future. In some embodiments, the sheet or roll may be scored, perforated, or otherwise treated by a similar such other process to define the segregation and / or to facilitate subsequent partitioning of each strap. have.

Fig. 4B is a view of the PIC stock on the back side, or the opposite side of the printed circuit; Fig. In this embodiment, the substrate (preferably the substrate comprising the metal foil 422) is removed at the selected location so that the remaining metal foil can be used as a pad for the printed integrated circuit 42. The backing 426 is applied to the PIC stock, the printed integrated circuit surface, or the top. The backing 426 can comprise a foil, film, sheet, or similar type of material, and is typically insulating. The film or sheet may be applied either as a liquid material that is subsequently dried and / or cured to form a film or sheet, or may itself be applied.

An alternative embodiment of the PIC stock, denoted by reference numeral 430, is shown in Figure 4c. In this embodiment, pads 412 and 414 are formed on each printed integrated circuit 404 and positioned on the top surface of the PIC stock.

The sheet may be cut or otherwise divided into straps or carriers of a size that is addressed by the attaching machine and optimized to match the target parameter values for a particular application. As an example, in an EAS or RFID tag application, the PIC size may be selected to allow convenient attachment to the end of the antenna on the antenna stock. Thus, the pads 412 and 414 can be separated by a distance approximately equal to the distance between the ends of the antenna.

The PIC stock can be divided by dividing the PIC stock in all or selected cross-sheet segmentation and / or down-sheet segmentation using any such process that can be segmented / separated. One roll of PIC stock, shown in FIG. 4D with reference numeral 440, may be formed from a roll of PIC stock or a sheet of PIC stock. Such "n x 1 (n by 1) / single row or column split of PIC sheet stock may be applied to the backing tape and rolled up to roll 442. Although one roll of one PIC is shown in the figure, the PIC stock roll may include any number of PICs and may have a width and / or length corresponding to any number of PICs. The orientation of the PIC on the roll and the size of the center of the roll may be designed to avoid stress or damage on the PIC.

The antenna is formed on an individual substrate using any one of the techniques described above for forming and / or printing the antenna structure. The material (s) used in the substrate is chosen to be thermally and chemically compatible with the RFID and / or EAS tag fabrication and has appropriate barrier properties. The requirements for forming the antenna and subsequent processing (i. E., The attachment process) enable the use of less expensive substrate materials than those used in printed integrated circuit boards (thereby including antennas and / Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; interposer). &Lt; / RTI &gt;

Next, the carrier is attached to the antenna substrate by any of the techniques described above. Optionally, the carrier is first selected from a diced substrate sheet and converted to a roll of carrier to facilitate the subsequent bonding process. Because the carrier is of a size that allows it to be handled easily by a carrier attaching machine, the cost of this process can be optimized to be reasonably low.

 In one embodiment of the manufacturing method shown in Figure 5, a plurality of rolls of PIC stock are applied to one roll of antenna stock. In an exemplary process, designated at 500, the roll of antenna stock 502, including a plurality of antennas 507, is unwound from the processing apparatus. The roll may comprise one antenna or multiple antennas in the cross-roll direction. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the roll has four antennas in the cross-roll direction. The roll of PIC stock 504 is released, each PIC is placed in contact with each antenna, and the PIC is transferred to the roll of antenna stock 514. The adhesive may be applied to either the antenna stock 514 or the PIC stock 504 according to known techniques.

Another embodiment of the manufacturing method is shown in Fig. This embodiment is a pick-and-place process denoted by reference numeral 600. The sheet of antenna substrate 602 may be fed into a singulated / segmented printed integrated circuit carrier or a robotic placement station where the PIC 610 is attached to the antenna 608 to form a wireless (e.g., RFID) 610). A robot machine that generally includes a base and / or control unit 616, an arm 614, and a suction or picking device 612 adjusts the arm 614 to the position of the PIC 610, And picks up the PIC 610 by positioning the PIC on the antenna 608. The attachment step, including the processes described in the present invention, may be performed prior to placement of the PIC if desired (e.g., application of one or more adhesives on the PIC or antenna). The attachment step may also be performed after placement of the PIC if desired (e.g., to provide heat and / or heat to the PIC and the antenna to facilitate attachment, bump-bonding, wire-bonding, ultrasonic-bonding, welding, soldering, / RTI &gt; The workpiece sheet 604 generally does not move to facilitate correct positioning operation; However, if a low tolerance is required for the approach of this invention, one may consider an embodiment in which the seat 604 may be moving. If all of the antennas on the sheet 604 have a PIC located thereon, the sheet 604 proceeds to the position of the finished sheet 606 and the empty sheet 602 advances to the position of the workpiece sheet 604 do.

In some embodiments of the exemplary method, the fabricated device may contain a unique identifier (e.g., a bar code equivalent) and / or may include features (e.g., ROM, one-time programmable (OTP) (IC) to respond to a unique time delay in a TTF anti-collision scheme using a conventional approach, such as using a conventional circuit-level (IC) approach. An alternative approach to customization utilizing maskless patterning techniques that can be quickly adapted to various applications by changing software parameters can be utilized. Examples of maskless patterning techniques include laser patterning and inkjet, using metal nanoparticle-based ink and / or liquid silica-based ink (e.g., May 30, 2008, May 2, 2008 , April 24, 2008, August 21, 2007, August 3, 2007, August 3, 2007, June 12, 2006, October 30, 2005, August 11, 2005 , U.S. Patent Applications 12 / 131,002, 12 / 114,741, filed on May 18, 2005, October 1, 2004, September 24, 2004, 12 / 109,338, 11 / 842,884, 11 / 888,949, 11 / 888,942, 11 / 452,108, 11 / 243,460, 11 / 203,563, 11 / 084,448, 10 / 956,714, 10 / 950,373, and 10 / 789,317, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,314,513, 7,294,449, 7,286,053, 7,276,385, 7,152,804).

It should be understood that the fabrication process of the present invention enables other fabrication methods that may not be otherwise possible due to the lower accuracy of the required layout when using printed integrated circuitry.

Existing current RFID  How to Read a Tag

The present invention also relates to a method comprising: (i) inducing or inducing a current in the apparatus sufficient for the apparatus to emit detectable electromagnetic radiation (preferably at a frequency that is an integer multiple of the applied electromagnetic field or an integer divisor); (Ii) detecting a detectable electromagnetic radiation; And optionally (iii) processing information conveyed by the detectable electromagnetic radiation. &Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; [0002] &lt; / RTI &gt; Generally, when the device is in a detection zone that includes an oscillating electromagnetic field, sufficient current and voltage is induced in the device to emit detectable electromagnetic radiation. These vibrating electromagnetic fields are generated or generated by conventional EAS and / or RFID equipment and / or systems. Thus, the method of use may include (iv) transferring or transmitting information from the present device (or sensor) back to the reading device, or (i) prior to (i) Packaging the article, packaging the article, etc.), or otherwise including the apparatus in such an article, article, or package thereof.

The tag is designed, at least in part, to operate with an electronic identification and / or security system that detects disturbances in radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields. Such an electronic system may be used to store electromagnetic fields in confined areas defined by a portal through which an article must pass, leaving the space or limited site (e.g., store, library, etc.) . A tag having a resonant circuit is attached to each such item, and the presence of the tag circuit in a limited area is determined by detecting the tag and processing the information obtained therefrom (e.g., identifying the product of the container labeled with the tag Or an unauthorized removal of the article). Most of the tags that work according to these principles are disposable tags and are therefore designed to be produced in very large quantities at low cost.

Alternatively, the present tag may have the form of a sensor, and its RF signal modulation characteristics and / or characteristics may change when the properties and / or characteristics of the attached object or object change. For example, the sensor may be attached to a stainless steel (or other metal) object, structure or surface. When the properties of an object, structure or surface are changed (for example, when steel is oxidized, a metal having electromagnetic properties is magnetized, or a minimum threshold current is transmitted, or the object or surface Or the threshold value), the characteristics and / or characteristics of the RF signal copied, reflected, or modulated by the sensor also change in a detectable manner.

This tag can be used in any frequency range and for any commercial EAS and / or RFID application for such applications (if required and / or properly reused). For example, the tags may be used in the frequencies, fields, and / or ranges described in Table 1:

Example Application frequency Preferred frequency Range / detection field / response Preferred Range / Detection Field / Response Exemplary commercial application (s) 100-150 KHz 125-134 KHz Up to 10 feet Up to 5 feet Animal ID, anti-theft system, beer keg tracking 5-15 MHz 8.2 MHz, 9.5 MHz, 13.56 MHz Up to 10 feet Up to 5 feet Inventory tracking (eg, collection, clothing, automotive / motorcycle parts), building security / access 800-100 MHz 868-928 MHz Up to 30 feet Up to 18 feet Pallet and shipping container tracking, shipyard container tracking 2.4-2.5 GHz Approximately 2.45 GHz Up to 30 feet Up to 20 feet Automobile toll tag

Thus, the present invention provides a method and system for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation emitted by an apparatus 100, wherein an electromagnetic wave is transmitted to an area of a site protected at a fundamental frequency (e.g., 13.56 MHz) To an article monitoring technique that is sensed by a user. Under circumstances where the label or film has not been inactivated or otherwise altered for authorized removal from the site, the emitted electromagnetic radiation may be transferred to the sensor-emitting device, label, or article, And may include a second frequency or a next harmonic frequency that is re-emitted from the containing film.

Conclusion / Summary

Accordingly, the present invention provides sensors, EAS, RF and / or RFID tags and devices with printed integrated circuit devices and attached antennas and / or inductors, and methods of making and using them. (A) a printed circuit element on the first substrate; (b) first and second pads on the first substrate and / or the printed integrated circuit device, the first and second pads being electrically coupled to the printed integrated circuit device; And (c) an antenna and / or an inductor on a second substrate comprising a conductive line having first and second ends in electrical communication with the first and second pads, respectively. A method of manufacturing a single device generally comprises the steps of: (1) forming a printed integrated circuit having a plurality of first pads on a first substrate; (2) forming an antenna and / or an inductor having a plurality of second pads on a second substrate; And (3) attaching at least two of the first pads of the printed circuit to the corresponding second pads of the antenna and / or the inductor. A method of manufacturing multiple devices generally comprises: (A) forming a plurality of printed integrated circuits on a first substrate stock to form a PIC stock; (B) forming a plurality of antennas and / or inductors on a second substrate stock to form an antenna stock; And (C) attaching the PIC stock to the antenna stock. The method of use generally comprises the steps of: (i) causing or inducing a current in the device sufficient for the device to emit, reflect, or modulate a detectable electromagnetic signal; (Ii) detecting a detectable electromagnetic radiation; And optionally (iii) processing the information conveyed by the detectable electromagnetic radiation. Optionally, the method of use may further comprise the step of (iv) transferring information from the device (or sensor) back to the reading device.

Advantageously, the present invention provides low cost RF and / or RFID tags that enable standard applications and operation using conventional RF, RFID and / or EAS equipment and systems. By reducing the number of expensive / expensive or low throughput deposition steps as well as reducing the cost of manufacturing active electronics, a low cost tag can be fabricated on a relatively inexpensive carrier attached with relatively low accuracy to the inductor / For example, by forming circuit elements in a different manner on the substrate or by printing them directly.

The foregoing description of specific embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments have been chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application thereby enabling those skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Are included in the content of the present invention.

Claims (37)

a) a printed integrated circuit element on a first substrate, the printed integrated circuit element comprising a plurality of electrical active devices, the plurality of electrical active devices including a plurality of thin films, A bottom layer in physical contact with the surface, a successive layer on the bottom layer, and a second next layer on the first next layer, wherein the bottom layer and the first and second next layers A dielectric thin film, a metal thin film, and a semiconductor thin film, wherein at least one of the lowermost layer and the first and second following layers is a print thin film;
b) first and second pads on said first substrate and / or said printed integrated circuit element, said first and second pads being respectively electrically connected to said printed integrated circuit elements in first and second positions, ; And
c) an antenna and / or an inductor on a second substrate, said antenna and / or inductor comprising a conductive line having first and second ends, said first and second ends being connected to said first and second pads respectively And wherein the electrical connection is electrically connected. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the printed integrated circuit element comprises a CMOS circuit element. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the printed integrated circuit element comprises a plurality of printed layers. delete The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first substrate comprises glass, polyimide, glass / polymer laminate, high temperature polymer or metal foil. The method according to claim 1,
The first substrate is flexible. delete The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the second substrate comprises glass, a glass / polymer laminate, or a high temperature polymer. delete delete the method comprising the steps of: a) forming a printed integrated circuit element on a first substrate, the printed integrated circuit element comprising a plurality of electrical active devices, the plurality of electrical active devices including a plurality of thin films, A lower layer that is in physical contact with the surface of the first substrate, a first next layer on the lowermost layer, and a second next layer on the first next layer, wherein the lowermost layer and the first and second next layers And a semiconductor thin film, wherein the step of forming the printed integrated circuit element includes printing at least one of the lowermost layer and the first and second following layers;
b) forming first and second pads electrically connected to the printed circuit elements at the first and second locations, respectively;
c) forming an antenna and / or an inductor having first and second ends on a second substrate; And
d) physically connecting the first and second pads to the first and second ends of the antenna and / or the inductor. 12. The method of claim 11,
The step of physically connecting the first and second pads to the first and second ends comprises applying a conductive adhesive to at least the first and second pads or the first and second ends. 12. The method of claim 11,
The step of physically connecting the first and second pads to the first and second ends includes bump-bonding, ultrasonic bonding, welding, soldering, or crimping. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein forming the antenna and / or the inductor comprises printing the antenna on the second substrate. 12. The method of claim 11,
The step of forming the antenna and / or the inductor includes:
a) printing an antenna precursor layer on a second substrate; And
b) plating the bulk metal conductor onto the antenna precursor layer. delete 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein forming the printed integrated circuit device comprises printing at least one layer of the first material in a first pattern on the first substrate. delete comprising the steps of: a) forming a plurality of integrated circuits on a first substrate stock to form a printed integrated circuit (PIC) stock, the printed integrated circuit stock comprising a plurality of electrical active devices, The plurality of thin films comprising a lowermost layer in physical contact with a surface of the first substrate stock, a first next layer on the lowermost layer, and a second next layer on the first next layer, Wherein the lowermost layer and the first and second subsequent layers together comprise an insulator thin film, a metal thin film, and a semiconductor thin film, wherein the plurality of printed integrated circuit forming steps comprise: forming the lowermost layer and the first and second next layers Printing at least one;
b) forming a plurality of antennas and / or inductors on a second substrate stock to form an antennastock, each of the plurality of antennas and / or inductors having first and second ends opposite to each other -; And
c) attaching the PIC stock to the antenna stock, wherein each of the plurality of PICs is physically connected to the first and second ends of corresponding ones of the plurality of antennas in first and second positions, &Lt; / RTI &gt; 20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein each of the first and second boards comprises a sheet stock. 20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein each of the first and second substrates comprises a roll stock. 20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein one of the first and second substrates comprises a sheet stock and the other substrate comprises a roll stock. delete 20. The method of claim 19,
Further comprising removing a portion of the first substrate from the PIC stock to create a plurality of pads. delete delete 20. The method of claim 19,
Further comprising forming at least one roll of the PIC stock from the PIC stock. 20. The method of claim 19,
The step of attaching the PIC stock to the antenna stock may include a sheet-to-sheet process, a roll-to-roll process, a pick-and-place process, ) Process or a tape-and-reel process. 20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein forming the plurality of printed integrated circuits on the first substrate stock comprises printing at least one of the layers of the printed integrated circuit. 20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein forming the plurality of antennas and / or inductors includes printing a plurality of antennas and / or inductors. 20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein each printed integrated circuit in the plurality of printed integrated circuits includes first and second pads and wherein attaching the PIC stock to the antenna stock comprises attaching the first and second pads to the first and second ends, The method comprising the steps of: delete delete 20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein the step of forming the plurality of printing integrated circuits includes the step of providing a unique identifier to each printing integrated circuit. a) causing the device of claim 1 to cause or induce sufficient current to cause the device to copy, reflect or modulate a detectable electromagnetic signal; And
b) detecting the detectable electromagnetic signal. delete delete

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